As head of the largest sports-driven network on the planet, John Skipper has his fingers on the pulse of most things pertaining to TV and sports.

Skipper, 58, has been ESPN president since Jan. 1, 2012, stabilizing the network's future by securing numerous rights deals extending into the 2020s and embracing new technology.

He covered a variety of topics in a half-hour session with 20 reporters last week at network headquarters, where the network has built a 194,000-square-foot digital center that will be the new home to "SportsCenter" and other studio programming beginning in late June.

"We've talked about the idea of bringing back some of the announcers and putting them back on 'SportsCenter.' We don't know yet who would be interested in coming back. I don't have a quid pro quo deal with NBC (which employs Patrick). Dan hasn't expressed any interest in coming back."

• On negotiations with DirecTV for the SEC Network, which will launch Aug. 14:

"We're in the ordinary course of discussions with DirecTV anyway. We believe we have outstanding prospects of getting an SEC Network deal done with DirecTV prior to launch."

• On the future of 4K technology (screens with 4,000 pixels):

"I hope we'll be the first people to launch a 4K network, but there's no ability to do it right now. There aren't the trucks to do the games.

"When you can see sports better, people will watch more sports. That experience is just not ready for day-to-day, prime-time viewing."

• On CBS acquiring the NFL's package of Thursday night games:

"We would have liked to have had it. (The NFL) believed that Thursday night was a good place to grow the Thursday night football audience. (CBS) also believed, since they were winning the night, in an odd way they eliminated the largest competitor, the Thursday night football."

• On possible effects of unionization on college football and basketball:

"The popularity of the game continues to ascend, and that will continue to be the case. ... I'm fairly confident that they won't completely have some apocalyptic transformation where the players are unionized and they only play seven times a year. They'll ultimately figure something out."

• On competition from Fox Sports 1:

"To date, they've been serious competition in terms of talent, in terms of rights. They are very early on in terms of being competitors relative to actual rating points or getting people to move over to their programs, but we continue to take it seriously.

"We do like the competition. We actually think it helps us. We did some things, we sharpened up, and we have a long head start and a lot of advantages. We are never disrespectful."

• On the company's focus, especially with most rights deals locked up:

"We're prioritizing getting this (new digital center) open, we're prioritizing the World Cup. This will be our last NASCAR season. We're thinking about how to go out with a bang there.

"We certainly have the NBA renewal on our mind, and the Big Ten renewal. ... We don't have anything in the pipeline, but it probably would be a nice time to think about some new original content to do."

1 David Diehl, recently retired from an 11-year career with the New York Giants, has been hired by Fox Sports as a game analyst. Diehl presumably will fill the spot vacated by Brian Billick, whose contract was not renewed. Local radio listeners may recall that Diehl, an offensive lineman, had a weekly paid segment on Rodger Wyland's WOFX (980 AM) radio show between 2008 and 2010. Diehl also attended the NFL's Broadcast Boot Camp while he was a player.

2 On the horse racing front, MSG+ has an agreement with the New York Racing Association to produce nine one-hour live shows. Seven are from Saratoga (six Fridays, one Sunday), highlighted by the Aug. 22 Grade I Personal Ensign. The network also has the Belmont Stakes draw at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Meanwhile, the NBC Sports Group has doubled its number of programming hours leading into the Belmont, the last leg in California Chrome's Triple Crown bid.

3 Marv Albert told AwfulAnnouncing.com that he will no longer work NFL games for CBS, perhaps opening the door for Albany's Andrew Catalon Albert, 72, asked out of his NFL duties to focus on basketball. CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said in March that Catalon, a former WNYT sports anchor, is in the plans for NFL play-by-play. Catalon, who has called four NFL games for the network, is lead college football and basketball voice for the CBS Sports Network.